We can consider that all dreams have an aspect of flow in them, where the timings of how things intersect, or the struggle or ease of getting somewhere or doing something as the story image unfolds, all are clues to how we are in relation to a flow. And we can also say that spiritual development, or personal development, is mostly a matter of letting go of those things that prevent us from experiencing the natural flow of life. (At the end of this post there are instructions and a link to download this recording to your computer.)

John:My dream raises the question: “What happens if you drop all guidelines? What happens if everything that anyone else wants, you let them have? What happens if you function in which you want nothing for yourself?”

In such an approach, have a natural flow and understanding that whatever anyone else wants, or needs, or thinks that they need, that you help them achieve or cater to. And, in doing so, you take only that which is left over, which is part of a divine flow, that no one else is paying any attention to. If someone else pays attention to it, then there will be a resistance if you try to receive that.

You only receive what is left over, what no one else wants. How does that work? And what happens is that when it is a kind of divine flow like that, that what advances as a graciousness in life is imperceptible to the attention of others, because that isn’t what they’re looking at.

The thing that is different is you have the ability to see what everyone else wants and cater to that, and whatever’s left over, whatever that might be, is what you end up with. And over a course of time, that turns out to be something incredible in terms of the divine flow. Because the divine flow is outside of where all of this other interaction is going on. And you have come to recognize that and no one else has thought of this before, or is able to do this, because each person has their own set predilections.

In your dream, you have the guy from Niger who has his way that works for him. And the guy that’s bearded has his tariqa background that works for him. Neither of them know how to let go of that, and behind that is something even more, that is naturally there, as a total vulnerability subjectivity, or however you’d say it, means by which something is to occur.

Well, this is shown to me by virtue of two dreams. The first meditation dream set the context, in terms of how the environment needs to be in terms of this natural flow occurring. And then the second is just adhering, as a consequence of this understanding, to the natural flow.

In the meditation dream, I see myself as traveling along with two other travelers. I’m not sure just exactly where we’re going. It seems like we’re in the middle of—we’re kind of outside of all of my ordinary-type comfort zones, because nothing is familiar to me.

And in the distance, we see a place where it’s possible to spend some time, like an oasis in terms of a long journey. It’s a place of rest or something, after having traveled through a fairly nondescript countryside. So it’s kind of a change of pace to that. There’s nothing other than the fact that it’s a stopping point in the process of all of that.

At this stopping point, or in the distance, I see two ping-pong tables there, and I see a few other travelers hanging around that area and I get excited. I come out of my trudging-along way and realize that, you know, I can play this game that I thoroughly enjoy, and the only limitation is, well, it may have to be with the two companions that I’m traveling with who are probably klutzes, because everything that they do is strained—difficult, I mean—you know, I have somehow or another just been on this process and accepted it, but for them it was a struggle.

Well, to my surprise, as I get closer to this place, I recognize a person that is there and this person recognizes me, and we’re both equally matched in terms of being able to get into a flow and play this game and have a lot of fun.

At the same time, I realize to my surprise, that both of my companions are eager to play. So how’s this going to work? Well, like I said, fortunately there were two ping-pong tables. Well, my friend, who is there and is a professional at this, he has his own ping-pong paddle, and there are three other paddles that are there. Well, I know that I won’t have a chance with this guy because he’s got a really good ping-pong paddle and those others are just provided. And they’re probably broken-down paddles that, you know, are going to have limitations about them. So against this kind of friend of mine, who’s really onto his game, I won’t have a chance. That’s going to be a dilemma. But he knows that, too, and he wants only the best to happen.

So he grabs a paddle from the three that are there and tosses it to me saying, “You’re just going to have to do the best you can with this.” I look the paddle over. He’s just being humble about the whole thing, because the paddle he selected is in excellent shape. There’s nothing wrong with the paddle. Both sides are good. It doesn’t have any wear and tear, and yet he did it in such a way so that the other two paddles that are left, but the other two travelers who can’t play very well anyway, are going to end up with won’t feel like something got cherry-picked from them.

In other words, so there’s no letting on. In order to start the game, I must guess the temperature outside. And to do this, I have to throw the paddle in the air, and somehow I get a gauge of the conditions of things. And then it’s my friend’s turn, and when he’s done, he says the temperature is 64 degrees. Well, that sounds about right to me. I’m convinced he has about got it right, but the actual temperature is 58 degrees.

So anyway, we’re establishing a balance through this, in terms of beginning the game, in terms of who starts the serve, and so on. In terms of finding the conditions, in terms of the outer flow, in order to catch up with this inner freedom that we carry within, that exudes.

So what is going on, and what is the meaning?

The meditation dream image begins with me aimlessly ambling with two others in the same, slow condition. Where we’re at is in the wide open spaces of manifestation, where we find ourselves having to put up with being confined to the pace and condition of the way the current environment is. And yet somehow, I am trying to get beyond that, and I do not know when it will ever be possible to go beyond these set conditions and be more myself. If I dwelled upon looking at that state of being outside of a flow or something.

And as it works out, I get a lucky break. At this place that we come to, the conditions just happen to be right for me to change the current pace. Because this is going to quicken the current pace considerably, three things need to be taken into account that changes the environment.

First is time. Am I able to work with the tools before me to change the pace? Or am I still resigned and consigned to having to hold back? And if one is holding back, they’re still prone to having to be weighed down, based upon the current conditions in which the timing is off. And the timing wasn’t off for me. The paddle was there. The professional was there. The flow was there for me to tie right into.

So in the dream, an extra paddle that I am able to use that is adequate for the situation, meaning the tool or whatever, is there. And B, the environment I am in is conducive to the play. The timing was right. The place was right, too, because it was appropriate. The right conditions were at this place because A, the game of life is played here, and B, the tools I need are here, and C, the weather is conducive. And so were the people right.

In other words, this guy that nothing could happen if I played with people that just were klutzes because then I couldn’t be myself, but the people are right. A person who can press me and I him as we flow about is here and we can together quicken the pace and work upon the inner—you know, the innerness of what unfolds from within as we play this game in an intertwined way—because between us, there’s a natural inner flow and outer mutuality that’s exciting.

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